The Long Goodbye
by Murphdawg20
Summary: The staff and the Bartlet family come together again for a week as they gather to say goodbye to the president
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: They're not mine. DESCRIPTION: After all of the sadness of ceremony of the Reagan funeral, I thought I'd write a story set in the future about the death of President Bartlet. Since there are mentioned briefly, I'll tell you that Bob Russell is elected after Bartlet in 2006, but loses to Glenallen Walken in 2010. Walken is reelected in 2014, and is president during this story.  
  
Washington, D.C. Tuesday May, 2017 10:25 AM  
  
"This is a FOX News Alert. Former President Josiah Bartlet has died. This news announced less than ten minutes ago in Manchester, New Hampshire by the president's son-in-law and director of the Bartlet Presidential Library Charles Young...."  
  
The young staffer ran down the hall toward the senator's office. He nearly barreled into the senator's secretary as she barred his entrance into the inner sanctum.  
  
"What the hell's gotten into you?" she asked  
  
"There's something on TV. that the senator is going to want to see!" the staffer nearly shouted. As he did, the big oak door opened, and Senator Sam Seaborn exited into the secretary's anteroom.  
  
"Senator Seaborn, there's big news on TV. I think President Bartlet's died."  
  
Without a word, Sam ran back into his office and turned on the small television near his desk. It was already tuned to CNN, and the anchor was announcing the bad news.  
  
"...farmhouse in Manchester, New Hampshire. The official cause of death has not been released, but as we already know, the former president has been suffering from Multiple Sclerosis since before his first presidential campaign. Again, Former President Josiah Bartlet dead today at age 80."  
  
Sam grabbed his phone and dialed. He waited for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, someone answered.  
  
"Lyman and Zeigler Consulting," a pleasant voice on the other end said.  
  
"Yes, this is Senator Sam Seaborn; I need to speak with both Mr. Lyman and Mr. Zeigler instantly." The line clicked, and Sam heard a hiss. He knew that he was on a speakerphone.  
  
"Sam?" Josh asked.  
  
"Yeah, Josh, is Toby in the room with you? CNN is running..."  
  
"We just heard the news. Toby's channel surfing right now. CNN, FOX, and MSNBC are all running it. ABC, and CBS just broke into regular programming to announce it. God, I can't believe that the president's gone."  
  
"His health hasn't been great over the last few years," Sam could hear Toby saying. "It's not like it was completely unexpected."  
  
"It's still a shock," Josh replied. "He's one of those people that seemed immortal." "I know," Toby agreed as he ran a hand over his gray beard.  
  
"Listen," Sam said finally. "I'm going to call Charlie in Manchester and see what the funeral arrangements are."  
  
"Okay. You'll get back to us with it?"  
  
"Will, do." With that, Sam hung up and stared at the CNN report.  
  
"President Bartlet's health has been in a decline recently," the anchor was saying. "News of his sudden death, however, comes as a shock to many. Details are still scarce, but according to the Bartlet family, the president collapsed in the yard on his farm. Secret Service agents and Mrs. Bartlet tried to perform CPR, but were unable to revive him.  
"With us from Boston is Former President Bartlet's chief of staff and labor secretary under the Newman Administration, Leo McGarry. Mr. McGarry welcome, on what must be a very sad day for you."  
  
"Chuck," Leo replied, "this indeed a very sad day not just for me but for the United States." As Sam watched, he noted how Leo's speech had gotten even more slurred since the last time they had spoken. A stroke three years before had confined Leo to a wheelchair, and had left the left side of his face paralyzed.  
  
"We'll no doubt hear," the CNN anchor was saying, "about Jed Bartlet the president for the next several days. You were his friend, though. Tell us a little bit about Jed Bartlet the man."  
  
Sam watched for a few more seconds. It was hard enough watching Leo talk after being ravaged by his stroke, but now Leo was on the verge of tears as he spoke of the president. Finally, Sam switched the television off.  
  
Manchester, New Hampshire Same Time  
  
Charlie Young sat behind his desk in the main office of the Bartlet Presidential Library. He reviewed list of arrangements made for the funeral as he spoke to his mother-in-law. "Yes, ma'am. I called Zoey and told her the news. She cancelled her classes for the rest of the week, and is probably on her way out to the farm right now." Charlie listened as Abby Bartlet spoke to him. "Ye...yes, ma'am. I think Zoey wants to see you first, but she's going to go and get the kids out of school early today. She was afraid that they might hear the news from a teacher or maybe another student. Yes, ma'am, I have everything ready. I'll announce the arrangements as soon as I get off the phone with you. Yes, ma'am. I love you too." Charlie hung up the phone. He admired the heck out of Abby Bartlet for the way she was taking the news of her husband's sudden death. Even in the deepest hour of her grief, she was making sure everything was as it should be. Charlie rose to leave his office, but stopped when the phone rang again. He picked it up.  
  
"Charlie Young."  
  
"Charlie, it's Sam Seaborn."  
  
"Hey, Sam."  
  
"Hey. I'm so sorry about the president. Please be sure and tell Zoey and Dr. Bartlet that they're in my prayers. I'm still a little in shock over the news."  
  
"It's a shock for us too. He was outside behind the house, tilling up land for a vegetable garden. He just collapsed suddenly. They say that he was probably gone before he hit the ground."  
  
Sam sighed. "I'm going to miss him. I was calling to see what the arrangements for the funeral are."  
  
"I was just about to go and announce it to the press. The President and Mrs. Bartlet have had this planned out ever since he was president. Someone from the protocol office actually makes them do that. Can you imagine? Anyway," Charlie put on a pair of half glasses as he read over the plans that he held in his hands, "after the president's body has been prepared, his casket will be brought to the New Hampshire state house in Concord."  
  
He paused for a second and took a breath to keep from breaking down. He had a job to do; one last week of service for President Josiah Bartlet. He had to get through it.  
  
"After that, he'll be flown to Washington on Thursday afternoon to lie in state in the Capitol for. Saturday morning, there'll be a public service held at National Cathedral, and a private service that afternoon at the Bartlet Library here in Manchester. You're invited to the public and the private services. So are Josh and Donna, Toby, Leo, and CJ."  
  
"Who's going to give the eulogies?"  
  
"At National, we'll have Former President Russell, Former President Raddick of Russia, Lord Mulberry, and President Walken. Here in Manchester, I'll speak, as well as Zoey, Ellie, and Elizabeth. We're going to let Leo speak too. It'll be hard for him, but Mrs. Bartlet said that she wants him up there."  
  
"Thanks, Charlie. I'm going to let you get back to your job. I'm sure it can't be easy."  
  
"Sam, you can't imagine. He's was like a father to me. It took all I had not to cry when I made the announcement that he had died."  
  
"You're right, Charlie, I'm sorry. It's hard for me, but I can't imagine how it must be for you. Go make your announcement."  
  
"We'll see you some time this week, Sam."  
  
"Yeah. Bye, Charlie." 


	2. Chapter 2

Thursday, May 22, 20017

Manchester, NH

Jed was wearing his favorite suit. Abbey Bartlet gazed down at her husband. It wasn't her husband anymore, though. She needed to keep telling herself that. For all of the medical science she had been taught, she couldn't help but believe that Jed had a spirit that was now in a better place. She had to believe it. If she didn't, then her husband of nearly fifty years was just gone.

She had come to the funeral home to see over the final preparations for her husband. An attendant stood beside her, ready to jump into action if anything about her husband was even slightly off. Behind her stood Charlie. Thank God for Charlie. Charlie was her Rock of Gibraltar. He and the library staff were taking care of everything so that she could be left alone in her grief.

"Ma'am," Charlie said, "we have to choose. The honor guard is already forming outside."

Charlie held up two neckties; one with darkblue and maroon stripes, the other just black. She once again gazed down at her husband in the oak casket. Poor Jed. How he had aged in the eleven years since leaving public life. With the white hair, and wrinkles no one would have recognized him if he wouldn't have still been making the occasional public appearance. She brushed her hand against his face. He was cold. She was really just trying to stall things. She knew that as soon as the necktie was slipped around her husbands shirt collar, the casket would be closed. She would never see him again. She finally decided to quit playing games.

"I like the blue and maroon one."

With a tight smile, the funeral director plucked the tie from Charlie's hand and expertly tied it around the president's neck. He glanced at Abbey.

"Go ahead and close it," she nearly whispered.

As the lid closed, she said it one more time. Only she and his spirit would hear. "I love you, Jed."

Concord Municipal Airport

New Hampshire had the dreariest weather! It was May...May! There was still cloud cover and a chill in the air. Compared to Palm Springs, though, any weather would be dreary by comparison. C.J. Cregg walked from the tarmac to the small terminal building. The building was nearly deserted despite the fact that a plane had just landed. Not many people passed through New Hampshire, apparently.

"Ms. Cregg?"

C.J. Turned when she heard her name called. A young man in a cheap looking blue blazer stood in a corner of the room. She walked up to him with hand outstretched.

"Hi, I'm C.J. Cregg. You must be from the Bartlet Library."

"Yes ma'am," he replied as he shook her hand and grabbed her carry on bag. "I'm Andy, and I'll drive you to the state house for the service."

"Well, Andy, lead the way."

C.J. hadn't seen anyone from the administration in over a year. The last time they were all together was in January to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of the administration's end. C.J. Thought about the time that had elapsed since she left public life. The night of Bob Russell's inauguration, she hopped a flight from Reagan National to Cleveland, Ohio. The next eight months were a whirlwind as she watched her father slowly deteriorate. His death came more as a relief than anything else. She stayed in Ohio a while longer to take care of things and finish her White House memoir.

After things in Ohio were settled, she took the advance money her book's publisher had giver her and bought a small condo in Palm Springs. She had always dreamed of returning to California. She worked for a short time at a small production company, doing the work she was doing before that fateful day when Toby Zeigler pulled her into the political arena. While there, she was introduced to a man named Aaron Sorkin who was planning to create a dramatic series about the inner workings of the White House. She became a creative consultant on the show, and now made a comfortable living.

"You know," Andy said as he pulled his car out onto the road, I met him just the other day."

C.J. Had been daydreaming about all of her old friends. She was a little confused as Andy brought her out of it.

"President Bartlet," Andy said, helpfully. "I met him a few weeks ago. I've only been working there for a few months, but that was the only time I got to meet him. I was just a kid when he left the White House. Even so, when I shook his hand, I felt like I was part of something really amazing and important."

"Andy," C.J. Said, "I've known him a lot longer than you, but that feeling never goes away."

Same Time

Washington, DC

White House

President Glenn Allen Walken's giant frame made the springs in his chair groan as he sat down behind his desk in the Oval Office. The television on the sideboard was on and tuned to the FOX News Channel (what else?). He watched live coverage of the flag draped casket being loaded into a hearse with the presidential seal on the doors. Once upon a time, he and Jed Bartlet had fought like cats and dogs. They disagreed on almost everything having to do with politics and governance. Despite that, however, they had always had a mutual respect for one another. That respect had deepened in 2003 when Bartlet's youngest daughter had been kidnapped, and Walken had been called upon to take the reigns of command as acting president.

Currently, Walken's speechwriters were working on appropriate eulogy. As the president (and a damn popular one at that), Walken knew that it was his job to speak for the nation as a whole. That was something that his detractors often said that he didn't know how to do. If he didn't, though, how the hell did he win two landslide presidential election victories? He was a victor. He knew that history was written by the victors, so his critics could go and take a flying leap. Bartlet had been a victor too. After all the smoke and mirrors of a Congressional censure, an assination attempt, a kidnapping, Bartlet had come out a winner.

Walken lifted his bulk from his chair and walked across the room. He had a few minutes before he had to meet with the FBI director. For no more than a second did he think about the prudence of drinking at 11:40 in the morning. He poured a glass of Jack Daniels and looked back at the television. A small motorcade merged onto an interstate highway in New Hampshire. Jed Bartlet was making a final journey to Concord where there would be a special ceremony at the State House.

Walken raised his glass. "Godspeed, Mr. President."


End file.
